Display case

ABSTRACT

A display case having a housing and a transparent lid which can be locked in a closed position to preclude access to the housing interior. Mounted in the housing is a pair of laterally spacedapart, generally parallel, elongated members. One of the members has a plurality of holes therein and the other member has a plurality of upwardly-open slots laterally aligned respectively with the holes. Finally, the case includes a plurality of article carriers each having two oppositely directed trunnions respectively loosely disposed in a hole and in an aligned slot, each article carrier having a handle protruding through an uncovered portion of the housing to enable pivoting of the carrier to view the articles thereon without gaining access to the interior of the housing.

We Sates Patent 1 1 1 3,784,269 Frenkel 1 Jan. 8, 1974 1 1 DISPLAY CASE3.5631524 2/1971 Stice 312/107 1 186642 6/1916 Al' 312/138 [75]Inventor: Marshall S. Frenkel, Des Plames, 111. 2325039 7/1943 zr i312/234 I R C Pan 3.357597 12/1967 Groff 211/51 x [73] AsslgneeK212212312 gg i fi 3,648 849 3/1972 Harris et al. .1 211/126 [22] Filed:1972 Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam 21 Appl 225 552 Attorney-Harold V.Stotland 52 US. Cl. .L 312/136 [571 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. A47f 3/08,A47b 81/00 A display case having a housing and a transparent lid [58]Field of Search 312/136, 135, 120, which can be locked in a closedposition to preclude v I 3 12 1 2 3 1 0 7g1 1523 4, 2 92, access to thehousing interior. Mounted in the housing 248/152, 174; 211/72-73, 514,169, 170, is a pair of laterally spaced-apart, generally parallel,

21 1/171, 172 elongated members. One of the members has a plurali ity ofholes therein and the other member has a plural- [56] References Citedity of upwardly-open slots laterally aligned 'respec- UNITED STATESPATENTS tively with the holes. Finally, the case includes a plu- 425 1934/1890 Tiffany 346/136 X rality of article carriers each having twooppositely di- 8451728 2/1907 g j rected trunnions respectively looselydisposed in a 902 33 11 90 Pinkerton hole and in an aligned slot, eacharticle carrier having 2,250,454 2/1941 Babcock a handle protrudingthrough an uncovered portion of 3.235.093 2/1966 Eisbart et a1" thehousing to enable pivoting of the carrier to view 3.5561 9 ti rr thearticles thereon without gaining access to the in- 201,756 3/1878 Dealy312/138 terior f the housing $390,784 7/1968 Fuchs 1 211/169 X 3,379,3164/1968 Harrell 1. 211/73 3 Claims 7 l ravvi ng liigures 1,582,871 4/1926Keogh 248/174 x a PNENTEDJAN 8l974 sum 1 or 2 Milli PNENTED JAN 8 974SHEET 2 BF 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to adisplay case suitable for displaying articles such as packagedcassettes, tapes and tape cartridges. A customer may examine thearticles by manipulating'a set of protruding handles but cannot pilferany of the articles because the case is locked.

A display case of this general type is disclosed in a patent to .I.Gutierrez, US. Pat. No. 3,556,620. However, the instant inventionprovides anumber of improvements over the display case described in thispatent, as will be described in detail hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an important object of the presentinvention to provide animproved display case of the type which readilypermits a customer to examine articles contained in the case butprevents him from gaining access to the articles.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate the shipment of such adisplay case and to reduce the assembly costs thereof.

Still another object is to provide a display case which is capable ofuse on a counter top which is either in front of an aisle or against awall.

Yet another object is to provide a display case of the type described inwhich there are provided a number of pivotable carriers which arereadily modified to enable the case to display either packaged cassettesor packaged tape cartridges.

A further object is to provide a display case capable of withstandingthe substantial use and abuse which occurs during day-to day operationin a retail store.

Still a further object is to provide a display case which is more easilyviewable by tilting upwardly the rear of the housing therefor.

In summary, there is provided a display case for articles comprising ahousing having an open top, a transparent lid for covering a substantialportion of the top, a latch for securing the lid to the housing, firstand second elongated members fixedly attached to the housing on theinterior thereof, the members being laterally spaced-apart and extendinggenerally parallel to each other, the first member having a plurality oflaterally extending and longitudinally spaced-apart holes therein, thesecond member having a plurality of slots respectively aligned with theholes and each being opened generally toward the open top, and aplurality of article carriers each having oppositely directed trunnionsrespectively loosely disposed in a hole in an aligned slot, each of thearticle carriers further having a handle protruding through theuncovered portion of the open top to enable pivoting of the carriers toview the articles therein without gaining access to the interior of thehousing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel featuresof construction, arrangements, and a combination of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details ofthe structure may be made without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a display caseincorporating therein the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view on a smaller scale of the displaycase of FIG. 1, with a portion of the lid broken away to expose anarticle carrier;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view in vertical section taken along the line 3-3of FIG. 2, but with the lid being partially open;

FIG. 4 illustrates a view in vertical section taken through the line 44of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of one article carrier andfragmentary views of the display case housing and the article carriersupporting members;

FIG. 6 illustrates the locking mechanism, taken along the lines of 66 ofFIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a fragmentary view of the riser for the display casehousing and is taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawings, andmore particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated a display case10 incorporating therein the features of the present invention. Thedisplay case 10 is shown as being used to display a plurality ofpackages 11 each containing a tape cartridge having dimensions of about4 inches X 4 inches X 1% inches. However, as will be more fullyexplained hereinafter, the display case is convertible to accommodatetape cassettes each of which has dimensions of about 3 inches X 3 inchesX 1 inch. Moreover, the principles of the instant invention areapplicable to a display case for open reels of tape or any article whichis to be viewed by a customer without his gaining access to the articleitself.

The display case 10 comprises a housing which is in the form of arectangular parallelepiped, having a bottom wall 21, a rear wall 22 andan upstanding front flange 24.

In the form shown, the parts 21, 22 and 24 are constructed from a singlepiece of sheet metal steel bent as shown. There is provided a set offour rubber feet 25 secured to the bottom wall 21 near the cornersthereof and projecting outwardly therefrom. The housing 20 also includesa side wall 30, there being provided a bottom flange 31, a front flange32, a rear flange 32a and a top flange 33 all extending inwardly fromthe side wall 30. A ledge 34 extends inwardly from the top flange 33 andis downwardly offset therefrom. A slot 35 (FIG. 6) is formed in theledge 34 approximately centrally thereof. In the embodiment shown, theparts 30 to 34 are formed from a single piece of sheet metal bent asshown. The bottom flange 31 is secured as by welding to the bottom wall21 and the rear flange 32a is secured as by welding to the rear wall 22.

The housing 20 also includes a side wall 40, there being provided abottom flange 41, a front flange 42 and a rear flange 43 all extendinginwardly from the side wall 40. The bottom flange 41 is welded to thebottom wall 21, and the rear flange 43 is welded to the rear wall 22.The top end of the side wall is folded over as shown at 44. In the formshown, the parts 40 to 44 are formed from a single piece of sheet metalsteel bent as indicated. Formed in the side wall 40 is a set of holes 45(a similar set is formed in the side wall 30) which can receivefasteners to secure the display case to another display case 10 inside-by-side relationship. Any number of display cases 10 may be soarranged on a counter top for example.

The display case 10 also includes a lock 51, as is best seen in HO. 6,which lock 50 includes a finger 51 and is operated by a key 52.

The front wall of the housing is completed by a transparent panel 55,preferably plastic, secured to the side front flanges 32 and 42 by meansof rivets 56.- The front flanges 24, 32 and 42 and the panel 55 form thefront wall of the housing 20.

The display case 10 also comprises a lid support 60 which is channelorU-shaped in transverse cross section and extends from the front flange42 to the rear flange 43 and is respectively welded thereto. The lidsupport 60 is spaced slightly from the side wall 40 to define alongitudinally-extending slot 61 (FIG. 3) extending from the frontflange 42 to the rear flange 43. Secured, as by welding, to the bightportion of the lid support 60 is one flange of a piano hinge 62, theother flange of the hinge 62 being secured to a lid 63. The lid 63includes a transparent panel 64 secured along one side thereof to thepiano hinge 62 by means of rivets 65. An angle iron 66 is secured to thepanel 64 on the other side thereof by means of rivets 67. A dependingextension of a portion of one flange of the angle iron 66 defines akeeper 68 having therein a slot 69 (see FIG. 6). In the latchedcondition of the lock 50, the finger 51 extends through the slot 69.Rotation of the key 52 swings the finger 51 out of engagement with thekeeper 68, thereby unlatching the lid 63 for subsequent opening.

There is provided an elongated strip member 70 disposed adjacent to theside wall 30 and extending generally parallel thereto from approximatelythe panel 55 at the front of the housing 20 to the rear wall 22. Themember 70 includes an attachment flange 71 welded to the bottom wall 21,and an upstanding flange 72 which is tilted slightly toward the sidewall 30. A plurality of slots 73 is formed in the upstanding flange 72so as to be open upwardly. There is provided a second elongated stripmember 75 disposed adjacent to the side wall 40 and essentially parallelthereto and parallel to the strip member 70. The strip member 75 extendssub stantially from the panel 55 at the front of the housing 20 to therear wall 22. The strip member 75 includes an attachment flange 76welded to the bottom wall 21, and an upstanding flange 77 which istilted slightly outwardly toward the side wall 40. Formed in theupstanding flange 77 is a plurality of holes 78 equal in number to theslots 73 and substantially laterally aligned therewith.

The display case 10 also comprises a plurality of article carriers 80equal in number to the number of slots 73 and holes 78. Each articlecarrier 80 includes a bottom wall 81, a front wall 82 and a rear wall 83of a greater height. Welded to the bottom wall 81, adjacent the endsthereof, is a pair of outwardly-directed trunnions 84 and 85. At one endof the article carrier 80 is an upwardly, and slightly-outwardlydirected attachment flange 86 which is a continuation of the bottom wall81. Welded to the attachment flange 86 is a handle 87, the lower portionof which is tilted outwardly, that is, toward the side wall 40, and theupper portion of which is disposed substantially vertically.

The article carriers are positioned in the housing 20 with one trunnion84 thereof extending through a selected hole 78 and the other trunnionextending through the slot 73 aligned with the selected hole 78. In thiscondition the handle 87 is directed upwardly, and the upper end portionthereof extends through the slot 61 so as to protrude from the case asis best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. The trunnions 84 and 85 are loosely heldwithin the respective hole 78 and slot 73 so as to be pivotal orswingable by operation of the protruding portion of the handle 87.

In assembling the article carriers 80 in the housing 20, each carrier 80is tilted while it is inserted in the housing, with its trunnion 84directed downwardly and toward the wall 40 and with the trunnion 85directed upwardly and toward the side wall 30. The trunnion 84 isinserted into the selected hole 78, whereupon the upper end portion ofthe handle 87 will automatically extend through the slot 61 and protrudeoutwardly therefrom. The opposite end of the article carrier 80 is thenlowered, such that the trunnion 85 falls within the one of the slots 73aligned with the selected hole 78. This procedure is repeated with eachof the other article carriers 80. It should be noted that in the formshown, twenty such article carriers 80 are provided.

It should be noted that while the height of the rear wall 83 exceeds theheight of the front wall 82, neither of the two walls conceals asignificant portion of either the front or the rear of the packages 11.Thus, when a customer is manipulating an article carrier 80, the frontof each package 11 is visible when the article carrier 80 is tiltedrearwardly and the rear of the package 11 is visible when the carrier 80is tilted forwardly. Neither the front wall 82 nor the rear wall 83blocks the customers view of the package. In one form of the invention,the rear wall 83 had a height of 1 /2 inches and the front wall had aheight of seven-eighths inches. Thus, in this form the height of therear wall was less than twice that of the front wall.

Finally, the display case 10 comprises a riser 90 having a V-shapedportion 91 and a pair of flanges 92 and 94 respectively on the outeredges ofthe V-shaped portion 91 and lying essentially in a common plane.ln the flange 92 there is provided a pair of holes 93 near the endsthereof, which holes receive therethrough the adjacent feet 25. A pairof key holes 95 is provided in the flange 94 at the ends thereof forreceiving screws 96 to mount the riser 90 to the bottom wall 21 of thehousing 20. As is shown in FIG. 4, when the display case 10 ispositioned on a horizontal surface, the pair of feet 25 at the frontwill contact the surface and the apex of the V-shaped portion 91 willcontact the surface at the rear of the display case 10, thereby tiltingthe rear of the case 10 upwardly to facilitate viewing and examinationof the packages 11.

When the display case 10 is fabricated, the various separate pieces ofsheet metal are bent to form the walls of the housing 20 and welded orotherwise secured together. The panels 55 and 64, which are preferablyplastic, are riveted in place as previously described. The individualarticle carriers 80 are also constructed, but are not positioned in thehousing 20 as described above. lnstead, the twenty article carriers 80are arranged in bundles of five, for example. Each article carrier 80 ispreferably separated at least partially from its neighboring carrier bypaper, for example. The bundles of carriers 80 and the riser 90 areplaced inside the housing 20 for shipment. The purchaser of the displaycase merely inserts the article carriers 80 individually as previouslydescribed herein and attaches the riser 90 also as previously described.

By providing a construction wherein the article carriers 80 are notassembled into the display case 10 by the manufacturer, there is asubstantial savings in assembly costs. Also, by shipping the displaycases 10 with the article carriers 80 not assembled, there is a lesserchance that any of the parts may become damaged in transit.

After the display case 10 has been fully assembled, the article carriers80 are stocked with as many as sixty packages 11 containing tapecartridges (three packages on each of twenty carriers). The lid 63 isthen closed, the lock 50 is placed in its locked condition and the key52 removed. When the display case 10 is in position on a counter top,customers may examine the packages 11 of tape cartridges by viewingthrough the transparent panel 64 and through the transparent panel 55.To view the packages on the frontmost article carrier 80, the handle 87on each carrier 80 is drawn forwardly to expose the packages loaded onthe next article carrier 80. In this manner, the customer may examineall the packages 11 without gaining access thereto. When the customerdecides on what he wishes to purchase, he advises the salesman whowithdraws the selected packages from the display case 10 or obtainssimilar tape cartridges from his stockroom. Accordingly, the customermay brouse and examine all or any number of tape cartridges withoutgaining access to the cartridges themselves, thereby precludingshoplifting of these cartridges.

The riser 90 enables the rear of the display case 10 to be tiltedupwardly and improve the visibility of the package 11 contained in thedisplay case 10. The plastic panel 55 defining most of the front wall ofthe display case 10 enables the customer not only to view the interiorof the housing through the lid 63, but also through the front.

It is advantageous that the lid 63 is hinged at its side rather than atthe rear. By hinging the lid 63 at its side, the rear wall 22 of thedisplay case may be butted up against a wall, while, if hinged at theend, it would have to be spaced from that wall, thereby losing valuablecounter space. The holes 45 are provided, so that a number of displaycases 10 can be arranged in side-byside relationship and securedtogether.

As is most clearly shown in H6. 5, a number of fillers 88 are provided,each filler having a length approximately the length of the articlecarrier 80 and having a thickness of about one-fourth inch and having awidth approximately equal to the height of the rear wall 83 of thearticle carrier 80. A filler 88 is used when an article carrier 80 is tobe used with packages of cassettes rather than tape cartridges. Thus,the display case 10 can simultaneously display both the cartridges andcassettes if so desired. Packages of tape cassettes usually measureabout 3 inches X 3 inches X 1 inch. The fillers 88 reduce the effectivewidth of the article carrier 80 by one-fourth inch to enable thepackages or the cassettes to be relatively snugly held. The display case10 will be capable of displaying as many as eighty packages of cassettes(four cassettes on each of twenty article carriers Another advantage ofthe display case 10 is that it is constructed completely of sheet metaland plastic thereby able to withstand the substantial use and abuse towhich the display case 10 is likely to be subjected. In one form, thepanels 55 and 64 were constructed of one-fourth plastic. For example,accidentally leaning a heavy object on the lid 63 would be unlikely todamage the panel 64.

Although the display case 10 has been described as being capable ofdisplaying packages of cassettes or tape cartridges, it is to beunderstood that open reel tapes may also be displayed in such a case ifthe dimensions thereof are suitably modified. Also, the case 10 can beused to display a variety of different kinds of articles which may beshoplifted.

It is believed that the invention, its mode of construction andassembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood fromthe foregoing without further description, and it should be alsomanifest that, while a preferred embodiment of the invention has beenshown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural detailsare, nevertheless, capable of wide variation within the purview of theinvention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A display case for articles comprising a housing in the form of arectangular parallelepiped having a bottom wall and two side walls and arear wall and a front wall, a rectangular transparent lid for covering asubstantial portion of said top and being hingedly mounted along oneside-to said housing, locking means for securing said lid to saidhousing, first and second elongated members disposed parallel to saidbottom wall and fixedly attached onto the interior thereof, said membersbeing laterally spaced apart and extending generally parallel to eachother, said first member having a plurality of laterally extending andlongitudinally spaced-apart holes therein; said second member having aplurality of slots respectively laterally aligned with said holes andeach being open generally toward said open top, and a plurality ofarticle carriers each having two oppositely directed trunnionsrespectively loosely disposed in a hole and in an aligned slot, each ofsaid article carriers further having a handle protruding through theuncovered portion of said open top to enable pivoting of said carrier toview the articles thereon without gaining access to the interior of saidhousing.

2. The display case set forth in claim 1 and further comprising anelongated riser removably secured to said bottom wall adjacent to therear thereof and extending substantially between said side walls,whereby the rear end of said display case will be tilted upwardly tofacilitate viewing the interior of said housing when said display caseis located on a horizontal surface.

3. The display case set forth inclaim 2, wherein said riser is V-shapedin lateral cross section and includes a flange on the outer end of oneof the legs of said V shaped portion, said attachment flange beingsecured to said bottom wall to enable the apex of said V-shaped portionto rest upon a horizontal surface.

1. A display case for articles comprising a housing in the form of arectangular parallelepiped having a bottom wall and two side walls and arear wall and a front wall, a rectangular transparent lid for covering asubstantial portion of said top and being hingedly mounted along oneside to said housing, locking means for securing said lid to saidhousing, first and second elongated members disposed parallel to saidbottom wall and fixedly attached onto the interior thereof, said membersbeing laterally spaced apart and extending generally parallel to eachother, said first member having a plurality of laterally extending andlongitudinally spaced-apart holes therein; said second member having aplurality of slots respectively laterally aligned with said holes andeach being open generally toward said open top, and a plurality ofarticle carriers each having two oppositely directed trunnionsrespectively loosely disposed in a hole and in an aligned slot, each ofsaid article carriers further having a handle protruding through theuncovered portion of said open top to enable pivoting of said carrier toview the articles thereon without gaining access to the interior of saidhousing.
 2. The display case set forth in claim 1 and further comprisingan elongated riser removably secured to said bottom wall adjacent to therear thereof and extending substantially between said side walls,whereby the rear end of said display case will be tilted upwardly tofacilitate viewing the interior of said housing when said display caseis located on a horizontal surface.
 3. The display case set forth inclaim 2, wherein said riser is V-shaped in lateral cross section andincludes a flange on the outer end of one of the legs of said V-shapedportion, said attachment flange being secured to said bottom wall toenable the apex of said V-shaped portion to rest upon a horizontalsurface.